UAV launch attachment assembly and launch system

ABSTRACT

A UAV attachment assembly, used with a UAV launch assembly comprising a frame and a launch driver, comprises a base, a UAV support, a biasing element, a coupler, and a retainer. The base is operably coupled to the launch driver. The UAV support is mounted to the base and is placeable in vertically collapsed and vertically extended orientations. The biasing element biases the UAV support towards the collapsed orientation. The coupler releasably couples the UAV support to a UAV when the UAV support is in the extended orientation, the UAV support being free of the UAV when in the collapsed orientation. The retainer maintains the UAV support in the vertically extended orientation prior to launch and releases the UAV support at launch so that the biasing element can cause the UAV support to move towards the collapsed orientation and to disengage from the UAV.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/836,496, filed 14 Jul. 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,511,607.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as remotely operatedaircraft, are used for many different military and commercialapplications, including reconnaissance; surveillance and security;communication relay; area mapping; monitoring erosion and environmentalchanges; agricultural, farming and commercial fishing purposes; firedetection and damage assessment; surveillance of borders, harbors andcanals; convoy, road and population protection; and natural resourcesand wildlife management. Some UAVs are launched using pneumatic tubelaunchers to eliminate the need for long runways.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is particularly useful for use with UAVs havingpush type propellers. One of the problems with push propeller type ofUAVs is keeping the propeller from contacting the pushrod or otherstructure typically used to launch the UAV. This invention addressesthis problem using a vertically retractable UAV attachment assemblywhich permits the fuselage of the UAV to be positioned away from thepushrod; but, soon after initiation of launch, it quickly disconnectsfrom the UAV and moves out of the way of the spinning propeller of theUAV.

A first example of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attachment assemblyis for use with a UAV launch assembly of the type comprising a frame anda launch driver supported by the frame. The launch driver is capable ofgenerating a launching force along a launch path relative to the frame.The UAV attachment assembly comprises a base, a UAV support, a biasingelement, a coupler, and a retainer. The base is operably coupled to thelaunch driver. The vertically retractable UAV support is mounted to thebase and is placeable in a vertically collapsed orientation towards thebase and a vertically extended orientation extending away from the base.The biasing element is coupled to the UAV support and biases the UAVsupport towards the collapsed orientation. The coupler releasablycouples the UAV support to a UAV when the UAV support is in the extendedorientation, the UAV support being free of the UAV when in the collapsedorientation. The retainer is operably coupled to at least one of thebiasing element and the UAV support to maintain the UAV support in thevertically extended orientation prior to launch. The retainer releasesthe UAV support at launch so that the biasing element can cause the UAVsupport to move towards the collapsed orientation and to disengage fromthe UAV.

In some examples the UAV support comprises a scissors assembly, thescissors assembly comprising at least one pair of legs. Each pair oflegs comprises first and second legs pivotally secured to one another ata pivot point located along the first and second legs. The legs haveouter ends and base ends, the base ends being mounted to the base. Thelegs are movable between the vertically collapsed orientation towardsthe base and the vertically extended orientation extending away from thebase. At least one of the base ends is mounted to the base for slidingmovement along the base between a first state with the legs in thecollapsed orientation, and a second state with the legs in the extendedorientation. The coupler releasably attaches the outer ends of the legsto the UAV when the legs are in the extended orientation, the outer endsbeing free of the UAV when the legs are in the collapsed orientation.The biasing element is coupled to the legs and biases the legs towardsthe collapsed orientation.

One example of a method for launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)from a UAV launch assembly of the type comprising a frame and a launchdriver supported by the frame, the launch driver being capable ofgenerating a launching force along a launch path relative to the frame,comprises the following. A vertically retractable UAV attachmentassembly is mounted to the launch assembly. The UAV attachment assemblycomprises a base operably coupled to the launch driver and a verticallyretractable UAV support mounted to the base and placeable in avertically collapsed orientation towards the base and a verticallyextended orientation extending away from the base. The UAV attachmentassembly also comprises a biasing element coupled to the UAV support andbiasing the UAV support towards the collapsed orientation. The UAV ismounted to the UAV support with the UAV support in the extendedorientation so that the UAV support extends downwardly away from theUAV. The UAV support is maintained in the extended orientation prior tolaunch. The launch driver launches the UAV attachment assembly and theUAV therewith along the launch path away from the frame. At launch, theUAV support is disengaged from the UAV, and the UAV attachment assemblyis moved vertically downwardly away from the UAV from the verticallyextended orientation towards the vertically collapsed orientation.

In some examples, the UAV attachment assembly mounting step is carriedout using a scissors type of UAV attachment assembly comprising at leastone pair of legs with the legs of each said one pair pivotally securedto one another at pivot points. The UAV vertically downwardly movingstep may be carried out using a spring operably coupled to the legs tomove the UAV support towards the vertically collapsed orientation.

A second example of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch systemcomprises a UAV, a UAV launch assembly, a UAV attachment assembly, and aretainer. The UAV launch assembly comprises a frame and a launch driversupported by the frame. The launch driver is capable of generating alaunching force along a launch path relative to the frame. The UAVattachment assembly comprises a base and first and second legs. The baseis operably coupled to the launch driver. The first and second legs arepivotally secured to one another at a pivot point located along thefirst and second legs. The first and second legs are movable about thepivot point between a collapsed orientation towards the base and anextended orientation extending away from the base. The first and secondlegs have outer ends and base ends, the base ends mounted to the base.At least one of the base ends is mounted to the base for slidingmovement along the base between a first state with the legs in thecollapsed orientation, and a second state with the legs in the extendedorientation. A biasing element is coupled to the legs and biases thelegs towards the collapsed orientation. The coupler releasably couplesthe outer ends of the legs to the UAV when in the extended orientation.The outer ends of the legs are free of the UAV when in the collapsedorientation. A retainer is operably coupled to the first and second legsto maintain the first and second legs in the extended orientation priorto launch and to release the first and second legs upon launch so thatthe biasing element can cause the legs to move towards the collapsedorientation and to disengage from the UAV.

In some examples, the UAV has a lower surface and a recess formedtherein for receipt of the outer ends of the legs. The lower surface mayconstitute a skid plate.

A third example of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch systemcomprises a UAV, a UAV launch assembly, and a UAV attachment assembly.The UAV has a fuselage and a push type propeller extending aft of thefuselage. The UAV launch assembly comprises a frame and a launch driversupported by the frame. The launch driver comprises an outer tubesupported by the frame and an inner pushrod slideably mounted within theouter tube. The UAV attachment assembly comprises a base, a UAV support,a biasing element, and a retainer. The base is mounted to the pushrod.The UAV support is mounted to the base. The UAV support comprises ascissors assembly, the scissors assembly comprising at least one pair oflegs. Each pair of legs comprises first and second legs pivotallysecured to one another at a pivot point located along the first andsecond legs. The legs have outer ends and base ends. The legs aremovable between the vertically collapsed orientation towards the baseand the vertically extended orientation extending away from the base.The base ends are mounted to the base for sliding movement along thebase between a first state with the at least one pair of legs in thecollapsed orientation, and a second state with the at least one pair oflegs in the extended orientation. The outer ends are releasablyattachable to the UAV when the legs are in the extended orientation. Theouter ends are free of the UAV when the legs are in the collapsedorientation. The biasing element is coupled to the legs and biases thelegs towards the collapsed orientation. The retainer is operably coupledto the legs to maintain the legs in the extended orientation prior tolaunch, and to release the legs upon launch so that the biasing elementcan cause the legs to move towards the collapsed orientation and todisengage from the UAV.

Other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention can beseen on review the figures, the detailed description, and the claimswhich follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a UAV launch system, including a UAV and a UAVlaunch assembly, with a UAV attachment assembly made according to theinvention;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged overall view of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the system of FIG. 1 at the beginning of launchwith the pushrod partially extended from the outer tube of the UAVlaunch assembly;

FIG. 3 shows the structure of FIG. 2 after the pushrod has cleared theend of the outer tube and the UAV attachment assembly has becomedisengaged from the UAV;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of the UAV attachment assembly ofFIG. 1 illustrating a scissors-type, vertically retractable UAV supportin a vertically extended orientation;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the structure of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are isometric and cross-sectional views of a lower sectionof the fuselage of the UAV of FIG. 1 showing the recess for receipt ofthe guide blocks of the UAV support; and

FIGS. 8-10 are three side elevation views of the UAV attachment assemblyof FIG. 4 in fully vertically extended, partially vertically extendedand vertically collapsed orientations, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description will typically be with reference to specificstructural embodiments and methods. It is to be understood that there isno intention to limit the invention to the specifically disclosedembodiments and methods but that the invention may be practiced usingother features, elements, methods and embodiments. Preferred embodimentsare described to illustrate the present invention, not to limit itsscope, which is defined by the claims. Those of ordinary skill in theart will recognize a variety of equivalent variations on the descriptionthat follows. Like elements in various embodiments are commonly referredto with like reference numerals.

FIGS. 1 and 1A illustrate a UAV launch system 10 including a UAV launchassembly 12, a UAV attachment assembly 14 and a UAV 16. UAV 16 ismounted to UAV attachment assembly 14 and is supported by UAV launchassembly 12. UAV launch assembly 12 may be a conventional pneumatic tubelauncher including an outer tube 18 supported at its outer, elevated endby a pair of legs 20. The other end of outer tube 18 is connected to andsupported by a pressurized air assembly 22. A pushrod 24, see FIGS. 2and 3, is housed within outer tube 18.

Turning now also to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, UAV attachment assembly 14includes a base 28. Base 28 includes a tubular extension 30 that fitswithin and is secured to outer end 26 of pushrod 24. Base 28 acts as apushrod extension. Base 28 has a hollow interior 34 with a large cutout36 along its upper portion and a shorter cut out or slot 37 along itslower portion. UAV attachment assembly 14 also includes a scissors-typeUAV support 38 including first and second leg 40, 42 pivotally securedto one another along their central portions at a pivot 44. The lower end46 of second leg 42 is pivotally mounted to base 28 at a pivot 48.

First leg 40 includes a pair of first leg portions 54 which pass oneither side of the second leg 42. The first leg portions 54 at the lowerend 50 of first leg 40 pass on either side of a guide block 56, theguide block defining a closed end slot 58. A guide pin 60 passes throughslot 58 and secures the first leg portions 54 at the lower end 50 offirst leg 40 to positions on either side of guide block 56. A hook orfinger 62 extends downwardly from guide pin 60 through slot 37 to aposition below the lower surface of base 28. Finger 62 has a notch 66for receipt of a retainer 68, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1A. Retainer68 is typically an elastic, stretchable, ruptureable member, such as anO-ring, that also engages a hook 70 at the outer end 32 of outer tube 18and biases finger 62 rearward, that is towards outer tube 18 towards theposition of FIG. 5.

First and second legs 40, 42 have upper ends 72, 74 secured to rear andfront guide blocks 76, 78. A telescoping pin and tube assembly 80 ismounted between guide blocks 76, 78 with an outer guide tube 82 securedto and extending from front guide block 78 and an inner skid plate pin84 secured to and extending from rear guide block 76. A biasing element86 in the form of a torsion spring engages second leg 42 and base 28 atthe lower end 46 of the second leg. Prior to launch, the force ofbiasing element 86 is resisted by retainer 68. When freed from therestraint of retainer 68, biasing element 86 causes UAV support 38 tomove quickly from the vertically extended orientation shown in FIGS. 5and 8, through a partially extended orientation shown in FIG. 9, and toa vertically collapsed orientation illustrated in FIG. 10. The force oftorsion spring 86 is great enough to cause a UAV support 38 to quicklycollapse and not be hit by propeller 102 during launch.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are isometric and cross-sectional views of a lowerfuselage section 88 of UAV 16. Fuselage section 88 comprises a skidplate 90 having a recess 92 sized for receipt of the rear and frontguide block 76, 78. Guide blocks 76, 78 and recess 92 have complementaryshapes to help stabilize the support of UAV 16 provided by UAV support38. A small hole, not shown but indicated in FIG. 7 at location 94, isformed in skid plate 90 at the front and the recess 92 for receipt ofthe tip of pin 84. As discussed below, the engagement of pin 84 withinthe small hole at location 94 helps to prevent the prematuredisengagement of UAV 16 from UAV support 38 based on the tendency of theUAV to pitch upwardly during launch.

In use, UAV attachment assembly 14 is mounted to the distal end ofpushrod 24 of UAV launch assembly 12. Alternatively, launch assembly 12could be provided with UAV attachment assembly 14 already securedthereto. UAV support 38 is placed in the vertically extended orientationextending away from base 28 against the influence of biasing element 86.UAV support 38 is maintained in the vertically extended orientationthrough the use of retainer 68 extending between finger 62 and hook 70.A UAV is mounted to UAV support 38 by first placing front guide block 78into recess 92 in skid plate 90 so that the tip of pin 84 engages thehole at location 94. Then UAV 16 is pivoted downwardly until rear guideblock 76 passes into recess 92. Prior to launch, UAV 16 is maintained inthe extended orientation. In addition to the stabilization provided byguide block 76, 78 within recess 92, in this example the UAV 16 has apair of laterally spaced apart tail support members 96 extending fromthe fuselage 98 and rearward of the wing 100 of UAV 16. A tail member104, having an inverted V-shape in this example, is mounted to the rearends of tail support members 96. UAV 16 is a push type UAV having apropeller 102 mounted to the rear of fuselage 98, forward of tail member104 and between tail support members 96. UAV launching assembly 12 has apair of support guides 106, mounted to and extending upwardly from outertube 18. Support guides 106 support tail support members 96 prior tolaunch.

Prior to launch, propeller 102 of UAV 16 is actuated. Launching power isachieved using pressurized air assembly 22 to drive pushrod 24, and UAVattachment assembly 14 and UAV 16 therewith, from outer tube 18. Thissequence of events is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. When pushrod 24 isforced from outer tube 18, retainer 68 is stretched and ruptures. Theweight of pushrod 24 causes the back end of the pushrod to pivotdownwardly relative to UAV 16 causing rear guide block 76 to disengagefrom recess 92 followed by the disengagement of pin 84 from the smallhole at location 94 of front guide block 78. This permits rear and frontguide block 76, 78 to exit recess 92. With the rupture, or otherrelease, of retainer 68, biasing element 86 causes the UAV support 38 tomove from the extended orientation of FIGS. 5 and 8 through thepartially extended orientation of FIG. 9 to the effectively collapsedorientation of FIG. 10. This all occurs as pushrod 24 and UAV attachmentassembly 14 mounted thereto are dropping to the ground. The entiresequence happens very quickly, perhaps in one third of a second, fromthe initiation of the launch to the complete retraction of UAV support38. The rapid movement of UAV support 38 to the collapse insures thatpropeller 102 does not contact UAV support 38 during the launchsequence. As used herein, launch includes generally the sequence ofevents from initial movement of pushrod 24 from outer tube 18 throughthe complete disengagement of guide blocks 76, 78 from recess 92 inlower fuselage section 88 of UAV 16.

The above descriptions may have used terms such as above, below, top,bottom, over, under, et cetera. These terms may be used in thedescription and claims to aid understanding of the invention and notused in a limiting sense.

While the present invention is disclosed by reference to the preferredembodiments and examples detailed above, it is to be understood thatthese examples are intended in an illustrative rather than in a limitingsense. It is contemplated that modifications and combinations will occurto those skilled in the art, which modifications and combinations willbe within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the followingclaims. For example, UAV support 38 could include two or more pairs oflegs 40, 42 with the upper ends of one pair of legs pivotally secured tothe lower ends of an adjacent pair of legs. Retainer 68 need not ruptureto release from finger 62. Biasing element 86 could be located otherthan at pivot 48 and could be other than a spring.

Any and all patents, patent applications and printed publicationsreferred to above are incorporated by reference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for launching an unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) from a UAV launch assembly of the type comprising a frame and alaunch driver supported by the frame, the launch driver being capable ofgenerating a launching force along a launch path relative to the frame,the method comprising: mounting a vertically retractable UAV attachmentassembly to the launch assembly, the UAV attachment assembly comprisinga base operably coupled to the launch driver and a verticallyretractable UAV support mounted to the base and placeable in avertically collapsed orientation towards the base and a verticallyextended orientation extending away from the base, and a biasing elementcoupled to the UAV support and biasing the UAV support towards thecollapsed orientation; mounting a UAV to the UAV support with the UAVsupport in the extended orientation so that the UAV support extendsdownwardly away from the UAV; maintaining the UAV support in theextended orientation prior to launch; launching, by the launch driver,the UAV attachment assembly and the UAV therewith along the launch pathaway from the frame; and at launch: disengaging the UAV support from theUAV; and moving the UAV attachment assembly vertically downwardly awayfrom the UAV from the from the vertically extended orientation towardsthe vertically collapsed orientation.
 2. The method according to claim1, wherein the UAV attachment assembly mounting step is carried outusing a scissors type of UAV attachment assembly comprising at least onepair of legs with the legs of each said one pair pivotally secured toone another at pivot points.
 3. The method according to claim 2, whereinthe moving vertically downwardly step comprises pivoting the legs of thesaid at least one pair of legs about the points.
 4. The method accordingto claim 2, wherein the disengaging step and the moving verticallydownwardly step comprise pivoting the legs of the said at least one pairof legs about the pivot point.
 5. The method according to claim 2,wherein the UAV vertically downwardly moving step is carried out using aspring operably coupled to the at least one pair of legs to move the UAVsupport towards the vertically collapsed orientation.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the UAV mounting step comprises mountingthe UAV support to a lower surface of a fuselage of the UAV.
 7. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein: the mounting step is carried outwith a launch driver comprising an outer tube and an inner pushrod, andcomprises mounting the base to the pushrod; and the launching step iscarried out with the pushrod, and the UAV attachment assembly and theUAV therewith, being launched from the outer tube.
 8. A method forlaunching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a UAV launch assembly ofthe type comprising a frame and a launch driver supported by the frame,the launch driver comprising an outer tube and an inner pushrod, thelaunch driver being capable of generating a launching force along alaunch path relative to the frame, the method comprising: mounting avertically retractable UAV attachment assembly to the launch assembly,the UAV attachment assembly comprising a base operably coupled to thelaunch driver, a vertically retractable UAV support mounted to the baseand placeable in a vertically collapsed orientation towards the base anda vertically extended orientation extending away from the base, and abiasing element coupled to the UAV support and biasing the UAV supporttowards the collapsed orientation, the UAV support comprising at leastone pair of legs with the legs of each said one pair pivotally securedto one another at pivot points; mounting a UAV to the UAV support withthe UAV support in the extended orientation so that the UAV supportextends downwardly away from the UAV; maintaining the UAV support in theextended orientation prior to launch; launching, by the launch driver,the UAV attachment assembly and the UAV therewith along the launch pathaway from the frame with the pushrod, the UAV attachment assembly andthe UAV therewith, being launched from the outer tube; and at launch:disengaging the UAV support from the UAV; and pivoting the legs of thesaid at least one pair of legs about the points thereby moving the UAVattachment assembly vertically downwardly away from the UAV from thefrom the vertically extended orientation towards the verticallycollapsed orientation.